I once hated my freckles. I would have tried anything to get rid of them. My face was covered with them, and they became more prominent in the summer months. Over the years, they have faded, as has my hatred for them. Once, an elderly woman who lived across the street from us–her name was June May–invited us over. (We were always warned that she was a “mean, old woman,” but she was nothing but kind to us. She even asked us to call her “Grandma June.”) She told me that freckles were hundreds of beauty marks. Up until that point, I covered my face with makeup to hide my freckles. After the moment, I stopped wearing makeup, and I have embraced my freckles. (To this day, I don’t wear makeup. I think of my freckles as my “makeup.”) Once, they were constantly on my mind because I felt as if they weren’t me. Now, they are a part of me.

Is there a part of yourself that you have learned to embrace over the years? Is there a part that you wish you could embrace?

I’ve already wrote about my first year of college and how I dropped out in the second semester. I knew I wanted to go back to school eventually, but I wanted to give myself some time off first. After starting my new (current) job in January 2009, I was making good money, so I decided to save up for school. I still really wasn’t planning on going back until Spring 2010, but right as the Fall 2009 semester was approaching, I signed up for classes. I also decided to change my major from Early Childhood Education to Psychology (with hopes of getting my Master’s in Counseling someday). Right now, I’m just attending a community college until I receive my A.S. At the time, I’ll transfer to a university for my B.S. in Psychology. The first semester, I decided to only take three classes and still be considered a “part time” student.

Fall 2009 : Psychology Major — General Transfer

• Comp II — After dropping out in the Spring of ’08, I knew I’d still be required to take this course. So, I did.
• U.S. History I — I also re-took this course, and it was so much better online. It allowed me to work at my own pace.
• Child Growth & Development — Ah, I LOVED this class. Since it goes with my degree, that made me love it even more. It was so fun learning about growth as a child (physically & mentally).

Spring 2010 : Psychology Major — Full Time

• Western World Lit. I — This class has been interesting. We read a lot of Greek myths before spring break, and now we’re going toward the Renaissance period.
• Intro to Women’s Studies — One of my favorite classes this semester. The discussions have been fun and interesting.
• Intro to Sociology — Another of my favorite classes. It only consist of (interesting) discussions and four tests, so it has been easy.
• Human Growth & Development — I decided to take this since I took Child Growth & Development last semester, and it’s a very interesting class, too. Most of what we learned at the beginning, I had already learned last semester.

After this semester, I will officially be a “sophomore” with thirty-three credit hours. I’ve signed up for ten credit hours so far in the fall (Astronomy [Lecture & Lab], Intro to Abnormal Psychology, and Religions of the World — and I hope to sign up for another three-hour class), but I’m a little over halfway done with my A.S. after this semester. It’s really moving along quite nicely, and I enjoy school much more this time around.

How was your second year of college? If you dropped out, do you want to go back? If you’ve gone back, has it been easier or harder this time?